‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Docuseries Premiere Evacuated After Gun Threat

The premiere for Lifetime's Surviving R.Kelly, which is a docuseries focusing on the victims of R. Kelly's alleged mental and physical abuse, gets canceled in the face of a dangerous threat. Last night (Dec. 4), the TV network was hosting a special screening of the new doc at NeueHouse Madison Square in New York City when organizers received calls from someone threatening gun violence.

According to CNN, "several anonymous threats were called in," and one caller said that an audience member with a gun would begin firing off their weapon if the documentary continued.

"As a precaution, we evacuated," a Lifetime representative said. "Tonight's all about the safety of everyone—we're not even thinking of what to do next yet."

The premiere was called off immediately after the building was evacuated. Although no one was hurt, the cable network is still in the process of deciding whether or not to reschedule the event. The threat in question was called in anonymously, however Lifetime has confirmed that the call originated in Chicago.

The three-part docuseries gather Kelly's accusers and people from his inner circle to provide deeper insight into the alleged physical, emotional and mental abuse by the veteran R&B singer over the years. Although Kelly has never been convicted of a crime, the series will detail the sexual coercion, violence and an alleged "sex cult" that Kelly has been accused of facilitating, especially within the last year. After renewed allegations against him surfaced this year, a #MuteRKelly campaign rocked social media and even inspired Spotify to remove his music from their playlists and algorithms.

This development occurs months after Kelly addressed the rumors of a sex cult with his 19-minute song "I Admit."